Chapter 196: Beyond Training

After finishing my conversation with Reysir, I took a quick look at the skill application methods he had written under [Lightning Domination].

After a short wait, Professor Radbisin collected the papers from the students’ hands.

He read through the contents carefully, sinking into thought.

Only after a considerable amount of time had passed did he finally speak.

“First, Miss Risi, it would be best for you to maintain the use of [Hypercognition] even during your daily life, as much as your Aether allows. If you can learn to control and distinguish when to concentrate your power and when not to, you will be able to distribute your stamina efficiently during combat. Improving the coordination between your muscles and nerves will also help you exert your maximum strength…”

Perhaps because she was being forced to listen to a lecture she didn’t want, Risi’s expression had been sullen from the start.

As Professor Radbisin’s advice continued at length, did it start to feel like nagging?

Risi’s brow furrowed more and more until her face looked completely fed up.

It wasn’t that Risi was showing open rebellion.

The emotion on her face was closer to sorrow than annoyance.

Although her dissatisfaction with the Special Class itself had faded significantly, it seemed she still hadn’t fully made up her mind.

“…Power that you cannot control will eventually end up hurting you. If you were to get injured during battle because you failed to adjust your strength, wouldn’t that be dangerous? So, even if your daily life becomes somewhat inconvenient, please do not forget to do your daily training.”

Professor Radbisin must have realized what Risi’s state of mind was.

He observed her expression with a look of pity, expressing his concern in a calm, gentle voice.

Did she finally realize what kind of expression her facial muscles were making?

Risi flinched, her eyes darting around as if she didn’t know what to do, then she bowed her head deeply and whispered in a small, crawling voice, “I’m sorry…”

‘She even apologized when she wasn’t particularly pointed out… Unlike the appearance I saw in the Original Work before the remake, is she actually polite by nature?’

This time, since the fact that she was an Awakened was revealed early, she wouldn’t have to be pushed into dangerous Demonic Realms that others avoided while enduring criticism.

So, looking at the current situation, it seemed like that personality would be maintained, but I couldn’t be sure.

I didn’t think the author, Senna, who pursued the angst genre, would leave the students of the Awakened Special Class alone.

“For the time being, it would be good to practice controlling your strength during my lecture hours. Instead, do it while receiving the buff effect from Karbaldr.”

“Yes.”

At Risi’s obedient response, Professor Radbisin looked relieved.

After finishing his conversation with Risi, the old professor’s gaze turned toward Svein.

“Svein, you wrote under your skill description that you would use a sphere of water to block a monster’s breath and drown it. Did you write this because you have experience killing a monster this way when you were caught in a Demonic Realm and awakened?”

“No. At that time, I was hiding with my family… I’ve never fought a monster, I just wrote down what I thought might work.”

“Hmm, I see. The idea itself is very good. But unfortunately, I cannot say it is practical.”

That was obvious.

If that were possible, water-attribute ability users would be the strongest in the world.

“Monsters aren’t so low in intelligence that they would quietly put their heads into a sphere of water created by an enemy and die. They would move quickly to escape the water or use Aether to burst the sphere.”

“Monsters can use Aether too?”

“According to the materials I received, yes. If you could trap them in enough water to fill at least one room and manipulate the flow of the water to create a fast, strong whirlpool so they couldn’t even swim… then you might be able to take down an ordinary monster like that, but…”

Professor Radbisin trailed off without finishing his sentence.

It was likely because he couldn’t bluntly ask if Svein had the skill to use such a technique.

Though I didn’t know for sure, to generate a whirlpool of the level the professor mentioned, one would probably need a skill like [Water Current Domination] rather than [Water Current Control].

Svein didn’t act confident that he could do so, as if he knew his own limits.

“I don’t think it’s necessary to create a whirlpool. I just need to trap the monster in the water, and then Senior Reysir can paralyze it with his lightning ability.”

“And where will you get the large amount of water to trap the monster? You would have to consume a massive amount of Aether to generate it yourself.”

“That, with Senior Karbaldr’s help…?”

—He spoke of the cooperation between Reysir and me as if it were a given.

His attitude wasn’t brazen, and he stole glances at me, but that made me feel even more reluctant.

It felt as if he was saying that regardless of my intentions, it was already decided that I would act as a “water shuttle.”

‘No, well… Since it’s better to help each other to survive while fighting monsters, it’s not strange to think of cooperation as a given!’

On the contrary, in the eyes of others, I would be the one acting uncooperatively by asserting useless pride.

If Svein hadn’t had a history of betrayal in the Original Work before the remake, I would have answered that I would gladly cooperate instead of feeling this unpleasantness.

“Well, yes. Since you’re not fighting alone but together, it’s good to help if you can.”

“Right?!”

“But Svein, if you train on the premise of receiving help from others, you won’t be able to foster personal growth. And you must also prepare for cases where you are caught in a Demonic Realm alone or the group is scattered due to an unexpected accident.”

“Oh…”

“So, let’s do the cooperation practice during other lectures related to it, and during my lecture, let’s aim to grow your individual capabilities.”

“Yes!”

The kind professor not only gave a satisfied smile to Svein, who answered energetically, but also suggested a method of utilization he hadn’t yet thought of.

“How about concentrating your Aether and attacking by spraying a thin stream of water at high pressure? With this method, you won’t need to generate a large amount of water, so you can increase the power while reducing Aether consumption. And through this training, your skill in controlling water will also increase.”

“Yes, I’ll try practicing that.”

“Good.”

The next person to receive Professor Radbisin’s gaze was Fjodra.

“To think you can only move to a place you can see. For Your Highness the Imperial Princess to use [Space Leap] in the middle of a fierce battle, you will need to develop the ability to quickly capture a safe location.”

“Since I am currently in the position of learning from you, you may call me by name as you do the other students.”

Apparently, Fjodra intended to repeat this every lecture.

I thought it would be better to just gather the professors and tell them once, but that would feel authoritative in its own way and make the professors find her even more difficult to deal with.

“I appreciate the words, but for now, it is a burden. I still feel the image of the Imperial Princess more strongly than that of a student…”

“If that is the case, it cannot be helped. If you ever feel comfortable with me later, just remember that you can change how you address me at any time.”

“Yes, thank you for understanding.”

The old professor bowed his head in a polite manner, treating Fjodra as a member of the Imperial Family.

And then…

“Anyway, to continue what I was saying. I’m wondering if Your Highness would like to practice capturing the location of Pret while sitting in a fast-rotating chair and moving behind him. The Familiar should move above his head.”

He announced that he would put her through the kind of extreme training an astronaut might receive.

The rotation speed would likely be slower than what they actually undergo.

However, instead of just sitting there and enduring it, Fjodra had to use her Aether Attribute Skill in that state.

It was definitely not something to be taken lightly.

“But why is Pret the standard?”

“That’s related to the training he will be doing.”

At Fjodra’s question, Professor Radbisin’s gaze moved to Pret.

“Pret, please keep moving around the classroom. Keep yourself wrapped in Aether and change your camouflage colors from moment to moment. Do not stick to the walls, but move between the other students, aiming to be inconspicuous from any angle.”

“What? That’s a technique usually used when in the bushes or stuck to a wall… To use it while walking between people in a place with no cover?! Even more, to not be noticed from any angle, that’s absolutely impossible!”

“It’s just a goal, literally. Even if you don’t succeed perfectly in the end, won’t the speed of changing your camouflage color become faster and more plausible as you keep practicing? If that happens, I think it will be a great help in situations where a monster’s vision is dispersed.”

Pret’s Aether Attribute Ability was for infiltration, not combat.

Since they were trying to forcibly incorporate that into combat, it was inevitable that an unreasonable training goal would be given.

“Next, Miss Hailga, you actually fought the monsters of the Demonic Realm last week, right? To have burned a large number of centipede monsters in an environment with many trees and grass while controlling the flames so they didn’t turn into a forest fire… you must be seen as having delicate control. So, during my lecture, let’s try to train to maximize your firepower.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Considering safety and efficiency, it would be good for Hailga’s training to be done together with Karbaldr and his Familiar.”

Seeing the name of the Possession Body mentioned, it seemed my turn was coming soon.

“When Karbaldr creates a thick mist at the level of a rain cloud together with Yor, Miss Hailga should create a fireball inside it and try to increase its size and temperature. Don’t go inside it yourself, as you might get injured by the hot steam.”

After saying that to Hailga, Professor Radbisin looked at me and continued.

“Miss Hailga’s flames will evaporate the water droplets that make up the mist and create an updraft, causing the mist to scatter. Karbaldr, try to hold onto the mist as much as possible. By doing so, you will be able to get a hint for ‘Airflow Manipulation,’ the second stage ability of [Weather Change].”

“Yes, I understand.”

Afterward, the professor called the students one by one, suggesting training goals in a kind and gentle tone, accompanied by very, very detailed explanations.

If I were to write down everything he said here, I wouldn’t be able to finish this scene within this chapter.

Therefore, I will describe it as briefly as possible.

He advised Vigdis that if she used the supernatural power of [Iron-Blooded Steel Body] by concentrating it on a specific part like an arm, leg, or torso, her body would become even harder than when she spread that power throughout her entire body.

He told Liolikin to practice changing the shape of the [Armor of Protection].

He explained that this could be a preparation for when he couldn’t avoid an attack aimed at his joints, and if he could adjust the tilt of the surface being attacked, he would be able to deflect the impact.

And to Reysir—.

“I don’t know what kind of help I can give you. Reysir, your skill already seems to be in a complete form… Simple training is no longer meaningful, and I think it’s time for you to gain real-world experience.”

—That was what he said.